St. Rd. 75 extension debated
By Debbie Lowe

Planners for the SR75 extension presented a picture of prosperity and economic development to the Carroll County Commissioners that were hard to ignore. After much discussion at the Monday morning meeting, commissioners followed suit by unanimously approving the feasibility study prepared by the Troyer Group.

"I whole-heartedly believe we'd better do something," commissioners' president Bill Brown said near the end of the presentation.

The study will be forwarded to the Indiana Department of Transportation for funding consideration as plans for the new highway gel.

Brown said he thought the study was well done and the economic analysis was accurate in support of the project.

Jim Mooney of the Troyer Group provided the economic development and impact component of the study. He presented a model, which included building a business park in addition to the road. He predicted over 400 jobs would be created within 15 years after completion of the project.

Troyer Group spokesperson Mario Pasarel said the road project would cost $12.4 million to construct and the 40-acre business park approximately $5.6 million. He said an 80/20 funding formula from INDOT would be expected for the county to utilize as plans proceed.

Mooney said he expected the economic impact to exceed the predictions because his group takes "a conservative approach" when developing them.

Brown said he looked at the impact of building the road and business park on jobs, a decrease in property tax bills and safety when making his recommendation to approve the study.

Council member-elect Ron Slavens asked what impact the extension of SR75 would have on the two-to-five-year county road plan. County highway supervisor Ramzi Awwad said he would search to find alternative funding sources for the county's 20 percent match of grant money from INDOT for the extension.

Hoosier Heartland Highway lobbyist Mark Davis said federal dollars could be available for the project.

"There are answers," Brown said.

"The cost of doing nothing is greater than the cost of doing something," Pasarel said.

County resident George Ringer's question of how utilities in Camden, such as sewer lines that need to be moved, tile ditches that would be damaged or ruined and houses that would need to be moved would be impacted went unanswered due to lack of information.

"This is one of the first public meetings for input," Pasarel said.

According to Pasarel, an impact study about mussels found in a nearby creek must be completed before the feasibility study is considered completed. Pasarel said the extra study would take approximately two weeks.

Pasarel said the county should make a recommendation to INDOT by late February or early March to be considered at a time which would be advantageous to funding.

"It's the right thing to move forward with this project," commissioner Loren Hylton said as he provided the motion to proceed with the project. Commissioner George Mears made the second. The motion was approved unanimously.